Luxury Wilderness

On safari, the true luxury is not the plunge pool. It is space: a private concession with few other vehicles, a guide who is yours for the day, and a camp small enough that the wild still feels wild.

What luxury really means on safari

• Exclusivity. The best high-end camps sit on private concessions or conservancies where only their guests drive. That means off-road tracking, night drives and sightings without a queue of vehicles.
• Guiding. Top camps hire and train the best guides, and often offer private vehicles.
• Small scale. Many excellent luxury camps have fewer than ten tents.
• Design and food. Yes, the rooms and the cooking are exceptional — but at the best camps, the architecture opens onto the landscape rather than shutting it out.

Luxury and conservation

High-value, low-volume tourism pays for a great deal of conservation. In Botswana and in Kenya’s conservancies, lease fees from small, expensive camps fund protection of large areas and provide income for local communities. Ask any camp how it contributes. Good ones will be specific. Our story on the economics of a safari camp goes deeper.

Where to find it

• Okavango Delta, Botswana — water and land activities from intimate private-concession camps.
• Laikipia and the Mara conservancies, Kenya — exclusive conservancies with walking, riding and community connections.
• Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa, Zambia — refined but understated bush camps with outstanding guiding.

What it costs

Luxury camps are priced per person per night and usually include meals, most drinks, activities and often park or conservation fees. Our safari costs guide breaks down realistic budgets.